Often, people who want to renovate their homes don’t know if they need a permit for their renovations. In this article, we will detail the renovation works that require a permit and those that do not. If a permit is needed, we will discuss the two main types of permits available: the building permit and the small-scale permit. We will explain which works each type of permit covers, what documents are required, how long they last, and their cost.
For which works do I need a renovation permit?
Following modifications to the legislation on building permits and the execution of construction works, renovation permits are no longer required for every type of work. Such permits are issued by the urban planning authority and are necessary for significant works at home. Generally, if scaffolding is needed for the renovation, you will need a permit. Permits are also required for changes to the layout of the house, external insulation works, or the installation of an autonomous heating system.
For which works do I not need a renovation permit?
For all small-scale renovation works, no permit from the urban planning authority is required. These types of works mainly involve interior renovations, such as:
- Interior painting: No permit is needed for changing wall colors or applying wallpaper.
- Minor repairs: This includes repairs to doors, windows, walls, etc., that do not affect the building’s structural integrity.
- Window replacement: You can replace old windows with new ones, provided they are installed in the same location as the old ones.
- Layout changes: You can install wardrobes, cabinets, drawers, etc., without a permit. No permit is needed for bathroom renovations if you replace the plumbing without demolishing any walls.
- Floor changes: You can change the flooring and perform floor works.
- Ramps for people with disabilities: For better accessibility, you can install ramps for people with disabilities. However, an elevator installation requires a permit.
There are also some exterior renovation works in this category:
- Installing a Solar Water Heater: No permit is needed to install a solar water heater or air conditioning units.
- Using Decorative Items: This includes garden furniture, pots, planters, flower beds, and fountains. You can also install a pergola up to 50 sqm and a pet house up to 3 sqm.
- Paving External Floors
- Installing Electric Meters: This can be done within the plot boundaries.
- External Works Without Scaffolding: Small-scale roof repairs, installing external insulation, painting the house exterior, or changing balcony railings do not require scaffolding and hence do not need a permit.
Types of Renovation Permits
There are 2 types of renovation permits that you can get from the urba planning department. One is a “Small Scale Permit” and is for minor work in the house that needs scaffolding, or for which you need to knock down walls. The other permit is the “Building Permit” and is for large scale work.
Small-Scale Permit
Let’s examine in detail which works require a small-scale permit:
- Works with scaffolding: This includes painting the exterior walls or roof repairs. Any work requiring scaffolding also requires a small-scale permit.
- Wall demolition: As mentioned earlier, any work that involves demolishing walls requires a permit.
- Roof construction: This refers to significant changes to the roof, not just minor repairs.
- Changes to the building’s appearance: Opening a new door or window, or installing external insulation, requires a permit.
- Fireplace construction: Building a fireplace and chimney requires a small-scale permit.
- Installing an autonomous heating system: While a solar water heater or air conditioning units do not require a permit, an autonomous heating system does.
- Elevator installation: Installing an elevator requires a renovation permit.
- Tree cutting: If within an urban environment, you need a permit to cut trees on your plot.
Required Documents
To obtain a Small-Scale Permit, you need a series of general documents. After submitting them, you must also submit specific documents depending on the type of work you want to carry out, such as a document for installing a fireplace. For specific documents, contact the engineers at MECHA Engineering for proper guidance. The general documents required are:
- Owner’s application
- Technical report by the engineer
- Photos of the property
- Approvals from relevant authorities if required (e.g., forestry, archaeological service, etc.)
- Cadastre certificate
- Copy of the building permit
- Co-owners’ consent declaration
Duration
The Small-Scale Permit is valid for one year. After the year has passed, you can apply for a six-month extension, making the total duration 18 months.
Cost
The cost of a renovation permit depends on the works you want to carry out. Specific permits have different prices, and you should also factor in the social security contributions (IKA) for the workers involved in your renovation.
Learn more about home renovation subsidies.
Can I Obtain a Permit Myself?
You can apply for a permit through your municipality’s online service. However, the project must be approved and signed off by a qualified engineer. Works requiring a permit must be supervised by an engineer.
Building Permit
The second type of renovation permit is the Building permit. This is required if you want to construct a new building or expand an existing one. Such works may include:
- Building a fence: You need a permit to build a fence or wall around your plot.
- Constructing septic tanks: A building permit is also required for constructing septic tanks or underground water tanks.
- Balcony extension: A permit is needed for extending a balcony.
- Adding a floor: If you want to add one or more floors, you need a building permit from the urban planning authority.
- Ground works exceeding 80 cm depth
- Demolition: If you want to demolish the house, you need a permit.
- Renovation works exceeding €25,000: For renovation works where the cost of building works exceeds €25,000, a building permit is required.
Required Documents
The documents required for a building permit include:
- Owner’s application for the permit
- Approvals from relevant services if necessary (e.g., archaeological service, forestry, etc.)
- Title deed and recent ownership certificate or cadastral sheet
- Proof of legality for pre-existing building
- Architectural study, icluding passive fire protection and accessibility study for people with disabilities
- Study of electromechanical Installations
- Energy performance study of the building
- Work schedule study
- Study of hydraulic installation and drainage
- Active fire protection study
- Safety and health plan of the project
- Waste and debris management plan
- Declaration of parking spaces through notarial process
- Proof of payment of state and municipal fees
- Proof of payment for engineers’ studies
- Topographical diagram
- Coverage diagram
- Plans of each floor separately
- Building elevations
Duration
The Building Permit is valid for a maximum of four years. Within this period, all works must be completed. This applies to all types of houses. For example, the building permit for a stone house is the same as for a wooden house. Only in the case of hotel or industrial units does the duration change to six years.
The time can be extended if there is a change in the supervising engineer, the name under which the permit was issued, or modifications to the submitted studies. Extensions are also granted if the building’s use changes or if the building coefficient or total building volume increases.
Cost
The cost of the building permit is determined by the state and depends on the works to be carried out and the characteristics of the property. An indicative price is €150/sqm, assuming the studies cost €90/sqm and supervision €60/sqm. For example, if you wonder how much a building permit for 200 sqm costs, it amounts to €30,000.
In summary, there are works for which you need a renovation permit and others for which you do not. Small works that do not require scaffolding or demolishing walls do not need a permit. However, if your works involve wall demolition and scaffolding, you need a “Small-Scale Permit.” If the renovation costs (building works) exceed €25,000 and involve house expansion, you need a “Building Permit.” Always consult an engineer for the best service.